Trees Growing Corpses
by TimshelBliss
Summary: There's a murderer in Central, and what's worse, it looks like it might rain. Edward and Alphonse are on their way to a meeting with Mustang when they notice they're being followed.
1. Chapter 1

**Haven't posted anything is ages, here's my first Fullmetal Alchemist story!**

 **Doesn't pertain to any plot line, it's just a little conundrum the brother's find themselves in.**

 **Hope you like it- please read and review!**

* * *

Edward was standing on the balcony of his hotel room, looking out on the overcast city.

It had been cloudy all day in Central, and by the way Edward's stumps were aching, he could tell it was going to rain soon. He pulled his mechanical arm across his chest to stretch out the ache, but the soreness remained.

"Brother," came Alphonse's voice from inside the room, "if we don't hurry we'll be late for our meeting with Colonel Mustang."

"This is stupid," Edward replied, "I'm going to catch a cold if I have to walk over to Headquarters in the rain."

"Rain?" Alphonse stepped on to the balcony to stand with his older brother, armor feet thudding against the metal ledge, "Brother, it's not raining."

"It's going to," Edward answered, stepping back into the room and grabbing his coat while unceremoniously shoving his report papers into a folder.

"How can you tell?" Alphonse asked as they left the room together.

"It's part of the older-brother-package that I'm entitled to," Edward said cheekily, grinning to himself as they walked through the hotel, passing people who gave the odd pair peculiar glances, "not only do I have superior intellect and charm, but I can also predict the weather,"

"Can you predict when you will finally grow taller?" Alphonse muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," Alphonse replied, louder this time, thinking that if he had a proper body he would be grinning ear to ear.

* * *

The Elric brothers took their time walking through the streets of Central. Alphonse walked slowly because he loved taking in the sights and sounds, as they were the only senses he was permitted. Edward walked slowly because he wanted to piss off the Colonel by showing up late to their meeting. A fact that he was reminded of repeatedly by his younger brother.

"Edward," came Alphonse's voice once more, "it's not that I don't enjoy wandering around Central, but I do think you should try to be on time to the Colonel's appointment." Edward merely huffed in reply, so Alphonse added quickly, "He said it was important, Brother."

Edward glanced over his shoulder.

"He thinks everything is important Al, it's not my fault he gives too much meaning to the little things," Edward stated harshly, though regardless of what he said, his paced quickened slightly.

 _He's starting to walk faster,_ thought Alphonse, _perhaps the meeting really is important._

"Edward," Alphonse began, starting to walk faster to keep pace with his brother, "what is so important about this meeting?" Edward didn't reply, so Alphonse persisted, "Is it something more than just paper work?"

Edward began walking even faster.

 _Did I say something wrong?_ Alphonse thought to himself as he once again attempted to keep up with his brother.

"Edward, please tell me what's wrong!" Alphonse nearly yelled as his pace once again matched Edward's.

Finally, Edward spoke. He barely moved his lips and did not slow down at all, he merely whispered, "We're being followed."

Alphonse resisted the urge to turn his head to catch sight of their pursuer. Instead, he whispered back, "Edward, should we run?" He finally took in his brother's features, the sweat on his brow, the fearful look in his eyes, his lips drawn into a thin line as his hands visibly shook.

There was a moment of silent uncertainty, in which Edward didn't reply and Alphonse's mind was left to wander in fearful places as their quick paces carried them swiftly down the streets of Central.

Finally, Edward spoke, "Yes, Alphonse, we should run."

And the two Elric brothers broke into a sprint.

* * *

Colonel Roy Mustang looked at his clock impatiently, listening to its _tick tick tick_ ing as he tried his best to work through the day's pile of paper work.

There was a knock at his door; a welcomed interruption.

"Colonel Mustang, Sir," came the voice of Lieutenant Hawkeye as she entered his office, "You asked me to let you know when it was three o'clock, sir, and it's currently three o'clock."

"Wonderful," Roy sighed, then added jokingly, "Brace yourself Lieutenant, the Fullmetal Alchemist should be here any minute now."

"Sir, inform me if I am being too nosy," Hawkeye began, "But is Edward coming to discuss the Hadfield case?"

"No Lieutenant, you're not being too nosy," Roy shifted uncomfortably, "And yes, Edward has been assigned to help on the case. Why do you ask?"

Roy already knew the answer. The Hadfield case had disturbed most of the officers at Central Headquarters, many of them finding excuses to pass it on to someone else to take care of, not wanting to face the facts. State Alchemist of more than fifteen years, Joshua Hadfield, the Organic Alchemist, had invested his research in using alchemy to grow plants and ergo, food.

It was three months ago during his yearly license renewal exam that military officials found no progress in Hadfield's research. When the officials declared their intention to revoke his State License, he killed them in cold blood, and then he disappeared.

Lieutenant Hawkeye knew all of this, "Sir, I'm inquiring because I believe it would be wise to take Edward off the case. Due to the… consequences that have befallen those who have already pursued Hadfield."

Roy grimaced, reminded of the first crime scene they found while pursuing a lead on Hadfield's whereabouts. The lead investigating officer was found hanging by his neck from a tree on the outskirts of Central, a note shoved into his pocket that read, "I grew you trees that bore fruit, now I'll grow you trees that bear corpses."

Four more crime scenes similar to that one were found in the next two weeks. All the victims were military officers who were working on the Hadfield case.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye, Hadfield must be caught before the murders continue, and the fastest way to catch a killer is to use all my resources, and as my subordinate, Fullmetal is one of my resources," Roy stated plainly.

Hawkeye took a deep breath, "Sir, with all due respect, we are investigating this case as a unit, but Fullmetal is alone," she paused, and then continued, "I believe there is strength in numbers, in which case, Edward should be included in that number, Sir."

The Lieutenant bit her tongue while she waited for the Colonel to reply. Roy smiled, and then said, "I agree Lieutenant, that is the very reason I've called for Fullmetal to come. I too thought it would be safer with him working here. Strength in numbers, I couldn't have said it better myself."

The Lieutenant sighed and smiled.

Suddenly the phone rang.

* * *

Sprinting down the streets of Central Edward attempted to explain the entire case to his younger brother. In between his heavy breaths it was difficult to tell the whole story, but he managed to get out the important bits.

State Alchemist turned killer. Five murders in two weeks. Victims were all investigating officers. Edward is an investigating officer. Mustang asked him to work from HQ due to the high risk of potential death.

Putting all these bits of information together, Alphonse guessed at the identity of the man chasing after them.

"So Hadfield is chasing us?" Alphonse asked his brother as they turned a sharp corner.

 _Hadfield is chasing me, not us_ , thought Edward, but he didn't say that, "Yes!" is what he yelled instead, taking one quick glance behind him to find that they'd put some distance between themselves and the killer.

A million thoughts were racing through Alphonse's head as the buildings flew past them, but there was only one single fear that occupied Edward's mind: _This guy can hurt my brother._

Alphonse was usually the indestructible one in a fight; unable to get tired or feel pain or die. But against a State Alchemist who specialized in Organics? What if Hadfield recognized the blood symbol binding Al's soul to the armor? What if Hadfield broke the seal? What if what if what if what -

Edward ran faster, the new fear in his heart that his brother was vulnerable, even with a metal shell of a body. He repeated the words in his head like a mantra, _This guy can hurt my brother, this guy can hurt my brother, this guy can hurt my brother, this guy can –_ Finally a light bulb flickered to life.

"Alphonse!" Edward yelled, his feet a blur underneath him as his relentlessly fast pace increased the distance between them and their pursuer, "Alphonse there's a hotel coming up on the next street and you're going to run inside without me and-"

"Edward splitting up is a horrible idea," Al immediately yelled back, "I'm not going to leave you!"

"Alphonse you need to listen to me!" Edward shot back, "If we can't take him on our own we need backup. You _need_ to call the Colonel, tell him I'm heading towards Oakview Park with Hadfield right behind me."

Alphonse looked at his older brother hesitantly. Edward was scared, he could tell that much, but he also knew his brother was stubborn. Alphonse saw that they were approaching the hotel and he had to make a decision soon; ignore his brother and stick by him, or trust his brother and leave him.

Alphonse broke off running towards the hotel, "Edward, don't you dare die on me!"

Edward smiled and ran a bit faster, assured that Alphonse was now out of danger, "I'm not planning on it Al!"

"I'll be there as soon as I can!" Al called as he ran up the steps towards the hotel.

 _Take your time_ , thought Edward. He checked over his shoulder to make sure Hadfield was still pursuing him and not Alphonse.

Then it began to rain.

* * *

Lieutenant Hawkeye picked up the phone on the third ring.

"Central Headquarters, Mustang's phone," She said briskly, "you shouldn't have this number."

Roy looked up from his paperwork in an attempt to read his Lieutenant's facial expressions. A look of intrigue – no, concern – flashed across her features.

"Alphonse," she spoke into the phone, "Alphonse, please slow down!"

Immediately Roy was out of his chair and crossing the room, hand out in a silent demand for the telephone.

"Alphonse," Hawkeye said, "I'm putting the Colonel on the phone, please try to calm down."

Hawkeye passed the phone to Roy, who quickly pressed it to his ear, "Alphonse, what's wrong?" He asked sincerely.

" _Colonel! Colonel… that man, uh what's his name, that killer you're trying to find!"_ Came the frantic reply through the phone.

"Hadfield?" Roy supplied as an answer, hoping to god he was wrong.

" _Yes! Hadfield!"_ Alphonse kept talking at lightning pace, " _Hadfield was following Brother and I, so we started running. Edward told me to call you, he kept running, he says he needs back up Colonel!"_

"Hadfield?" _Holy shit,_ "Alphonse where is Edward heading?"

Roy didn't wait for an answer before mouthing _get ready to leave_ to Hawkeye, who promptly left the room.

" _Oakview Park,_ " came Alphonse's reply, " _He said he was heading to Oakview Park"_

"I'll meet you there, Al" Roy answered, hanging up the phone.

Roy swung open the door and walked out of his office, greeted with the sight of Havoc, Hawkeye, and Falman armed and ready to go. He pocketed his ignition gloves and faced his subordinates, "We have just received a call from Alphonse Elric; Edward is being pursued on foot by Joshua Hadfield."

Havoc swore under his breath and Falman shifted nervously, each member of the team surely remembering images of bodies hanging by their necks.

"Edward is reportedly heading towards Oakview Park- there isn't a moment to waste."

A collective nod from Mustang's team was all Roy needed to see before he rushed out of the room, the familiar sound of boots behind him. Oakview Park wasn't too far a distance, but could they make it there in time before-

 _Before it's too late_. Mustang quickly pushed the thought aside.

They ran out into the rain.

* * *

Edward couldn't run forever, this he knew. The rain was falling gently, but even so, the water soaked into his clothes, making it heavier and harder to move. For that reason he had shed his red coat a few moments ago, no longer able to run quickly under its weight.

Edward glanced over his shoulder every now and then, sometimes seeing nothing, sometimes seeing Hadfield's worrying smile, sometimes catching the glint of a knife.

He had finally made it to the park where he planned to lose his pursuer among the trees.

Sometimes the lack of air in his lungs, or the lactic acid building in his muscles would make him want to quit, to just sit down and rest, but then photos from the crime scenes would come to his mind. The pale corpses dangling from the trees, some with their eyes still open, some bruised, some battered. With those images in mind Edward would keep running despite the pain, despite the fatigue, he had to keep going.

The trees were blurring together. Oakview Park was a large forest, easy to get lost. That was mainly why he was here of course, though he didn't like the way hardly any light was creeping in through the thick foliage.

Edward glanced over his shoulder again – _Is Hadfield even closer than before?_ – and kept running. Suddenly he was hyper-aware of the sound of panting behind him, and as he tuned his hearing towards the sound he realized it wasn't just panting, it was whispering.

A mantra.

"You'll be a corpse, you'll be a corpse," they were words formed between labored breaths, but still words, "you'll be a corpse, you'll be a corpse, you'll be a corpse."

Edward just had to keep running, he just had to put one foot in front of the other until Mustang showed up to save his ass, he just had to keep running, just had to –

A root. That was all. Just one stray root sticking slightly out of the ground was all it took the send Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, toppling to the ground. His hands flew out in front of him to brace for impact as he collided with the forest floor.

Edward scrambled to get up just as a cold hand latched onto his leg. He imagined himself as a corpse, thinking, _will my eyes remain open as I hang from my neck?_

Edward kicked out, releasing the hand's hold, and stood up, turning to face his attacker.

Hadfield was nothing like his military photo. His facial hair was coming in without care, his cheeks were hollow, and his eyes were vacant, as if behind the barely coloured irises there was no soul occupying the body.

They stared at each other for a moment, perhaps each one waiting for the other to make the first move.

Silence consumed Edward, threatening to choke him.

And then.

"You'll be a corpse!" Hadfield cried, swinging the knife at Edward.

Edward blocked and swung, he kicked and he dodged. He managed to land a few hits but appearances aside, Hadfield was fast, grazing Edward a few times with his knife, desperately trying to nick an artery. As tired as he was, Edward wasn't going down without a fight, and he sure as shit didn't want to picture Alphonse finding his corpse hanging from a tree.

"You'll be corpse," Hadfield whispered in between his attacks. Every time he'd pull his arm back to swing a punch or recover from a dodge, he would whisper it; "you'll be a corpse."

And it was the very desire to _not_ be a corpse that gave Edward that last bit of energy, the anger needed to deliver a blow hard enough to send Hadfield flying, landing harshly against the trunk of a willow.

A few seconds went by; aside from the rise and fall of his chest, Joshua Hadfield remained unmoving.

Edward took a deep breath and assessed himself; a few bruises, a few cuts, maybe one or two cracked ribs, but otherwise, he was alive, which was more than he expected against an opponent with such a high body count.

"You disgust me," Edward said as he approached the body, still keeping his guard up as he stepped towards the murderer, "You're going to rot in hell, you know that?"

"I know," Joshua Hadfield replied with a sadistic laugh, a playful smile smeared across his face, "I'll see you there."

Perhaps all his time spent with plants and forests had given Hadfield the home advantage, or perhaps Edward's mind was just too clouded with crime scene photos to concentrate on his surroundings, or perhaps it was all just a matter of luck and timing.

Regardless of the reason, Edward didn't notice Hadfield's tattooed hand behind his back, pressed against the trunk of the tree. Edward didn't notice the vines that were growing ever so slightly down to him, reaching out towards his neck.

Edward didn't notice he hadn't won the fight until he started losing it.

The vines wrapped around his neck and Edward gasped in surprise, trying to get out of their grasp. Before he could free himself and run his pulled was body upwards. His hands frantically attempted to loosen the plant's grip of his throat as his feet lost all contact with the ground. His legs swung as he started kicking, trying to find anywhere to plant his feet. Anything he could do to get oxygen back into his body.

The sound of his breathing, or the lack there of, startled Edward. It wasn't really the sound of breathing. It was the sound of chocking. A painful sound of silence when there should be screaming, of unrequited wheezing when there should be inhales and exhales.

His nails clawed at the vines that were prying consciousness away from him. The edges of his vision began to blacken, the faded sight of Hadfield, his hand still pressed to the tree, smiling at him as he repeated over and over, "You're a corpse, you're a corpse, you're a corpse."

 _Was that someone calling my name?_

Edward stopped kicking and he stopped clawing. The eldest Elric wasn't one to ever give up, but his lungs were betraying him, gravity working against him, and his body was shutting down.

A gun shot rang out in the forest.

* * *

Roy ran through the forest alone.

Oakview Park was too big an area to cover as one unit, so they had split up to cover more area with the order that "if you find Edward or need help, fire your gun, and yell as loud as you can."

Hawkeye had protested, reminding the Colonel that he was useless on rainy days, but the Colonel pulled rank, and off they went.

God he hated the rain. Not just because his alchemy was rendered useless, but also because of the overall gloom that it tended to add to the atmosphere. As if these moments weren't hard enough, the dreariness of a dark and wet sky only added to the fear that the team might lose their youngest comrade.

Roy kept running, his thoughts occasionally drifting towards the earlier crime scenes, the corpses, and the cryptic notes. Sometimes in his thoughts the corpses had blonde braids and red coats, a metal arm or a metal leg. Those were the thoughts that terrified him; he tried to shove them to the back of his mind but they always seemed to –

A red coat.

Edward's red coat, lying in the mud, trampled over by a single set of footprints.

 _I'm going in the right direction_.

Roy ran faster than his morbid thoughts, because maybe if he could outrun thoughts of Edward dying he could prevent the tragedy entirely.

Rounding the bend of the path he was following, Roy froze in his tracks.

There was a man on the ground – _Hadfield that son of a bitch_ –pressing his palm to a tree, blue sparks of alchemy climbing up the tree and down a vine.

And there was Edward, legs kicking a few feet off the ground, hands clawing at the vine wrapping around his throat, and mouth gasping for air that wouldn't return the favour.

"Edward!" Roy yelled as his subordinate's body went slack. He fired his gun at Hadfield, not taking the time to aim and not looking long enough to see how fatal his shot was.

He fired his gun again, this time at the vine keeping Edward's strangled body off the ground. The vine severed and the body dropped to the floor, crumpling as if it were already a corpse. Roy ran towards Edward, cursing himself for ever giving him the assignment in the first place.

"Fullmetal?" The Colonel yelled, turning Edward's body over in his arms, "Fullmetal, you are not to die, that's an order from your commanding officer, you hear me?"

Silence was his only answer.

"Edward!"

Silence again, only interrupted by Roy's quiet muttering of, "No, no, no," as his hands felt for a pulse.

"Edward, breathe!"

And he did.

The coughing and gasping sounded painful but it was comforting; with pain came survival.

"Easy Edward, just breathe, it's okay, you're okay."

Edward's breaths came back to him slowly and painfully, a dark bruise already forming around his neck. In the distance he could hear footsteps rushing his way, people calling out to him, his brother's worried voice.

"He's okay!" Edward could hear Roy yell above him, "Alphonse, he's going to be okay!"

He could feel other bodies joining his in the mud, he could hear them muttering thanks under their breaths.

"Edward I'm glad you're all right," Hawkeye spoke softly.

"Jesus Ed, thank god," Havoc's usually steady voice wavered, "you had us all worried kid."

There was an air or fear amongst the Colonel's team. Fear that death had been so close to their young friend, fear that they had almost been useless in saving him, fear that it could happen again.

But amidst the fear Alphonse held on to his brother's hand as he struggled to find his breath, and Edward looked up at the light filtering in through the trees and smiled, "Look, Al, it finally stopped raining."

* * *

 **Reviews are love, thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to those who left lovely reviews of my first chapter!**  
 **This was originally going to be a oneshot, but I decided to finalize the story a bit.**  
 **Hope you enjoy, and please review!**

* * *

It was quiet in the hospital. Nurses went about their business and doctors briskly walked past, but generally, it was quiet.

Inside Ed's room, Roy and Alphonse sat without sound. The Colonel would occasionally turn the pages of the newspaper. Al sat quietly reading an old text on alchemy. There wasn't much conversation between the two of them.

What would they say?

Roy Mustang silently racked his brain for any conversation starters that didn't begin with, "I'm sorry I almost let your brother get murdered," but he couldn't get his mind away from the sight of Edward hanging lifeless off the ground.

Alphonse was participating in a similar activity, but other than his major question of, "Is it my fault Edward almost died?" he couldn't think of anything else to say.

So they both sat there, silently blaming themselves for the person who lay between them under white, sterile sheets.

Edward's breaths were still a little raspy, but better than before. When they finally got him into the hospital his neck was swelling fast, and along with the usual wear and tear that went along with a fight to the death, he was in rough shape.

The minutes spent in the waiting room were the longest, going by at an agonizingly slow pace. After pacing back and forth a few times, Jean had to step outside for a cigarette. Roy joined him.

"Edward's going to be fine, Colonel," Havoc said, holding the cigarette between two fingers, "You got to him in time."

The Colonel looked at the ground, fixating his eyes on a splatter of blood on his boots, "I should have got there sooner."

"Don't do that to yourself," Havoc interjected, "you got there in time. He's going to be okay."

Roy turned to the wall and punched the brick surface, ignoring the pain, "I never should have put him on the case, Havoc, I knew how dangerous it was-"

"Mustang, it's okay-"

"It's not okay!" Roy shouted, desperately hoping no one else was around to see this little outburst. He took a deep breath then raised his head, eyes meeting with that of his subordinate, "It was stupid. _I_ was stupid. I promised to protect those under me, not put them in harm's way."

Havoc calmly took another puff of his cigarette, blowing smoke into the air above him, "Military officers in Central? Colonel, we're always going to be in harm's way. _Edward_ is always going to be in harm's way," he flicked the remaining ashes on to the ground and turned to leave, "What's important is that you got him _out_ of harm's way."

Sitting in the hospital room, listening to Edward's shallow breaths, Roy didn't feel that way.

"Alphonse," Roy said, finally breaking the silence that hung between them, "this is all my fault and I'm sorry," Alphonse sat up straighter, turning to face the Colonel, "I knew the dangers involved in this case and I shouldn't have assigned your brother to work on it, if it weren't for me-"

"Wait, you think this is your fault?" Alphonse questioned, cutting off the rest of the Colonel's prepared and surely lengthy speech. Roy blinked in surprise, not finding any words fast enough before Al started talking again, "Is that why you've been sitting in silence the whole time? Because you're blaming yourself?"

Roy looked down at the blood on his shoes, "Well, yes I-"

He was cut off again, but this time by laughter. It was always nice to hear Al laugh, but he wasn't sure what was so funny. He looked to Alphonse, perplexed.

"We humans really are silly, aren't we?" Alphonse finally said, "This whole time I was sitting here worrying about how this is all my fault, how if I'd stuck with Ed maybe this wouldn't have happened… while you were thinking the same thing."

"And why is that funny?"

"Because if one of us had admitted that at the start, we probably wouldn't have spent the past two hours hating ourselves," Alphonse answered, then after a moment of pause, he added, "I don't think it's your fault at all, Colonel."

Roy smiled, bemused by how wise Al always turned out to be, "I don't think it's your fault either, Alphonse." When Al didn't reply, Roy continued, "It's Hadfield's fault. No one should be taking the blame but him."

And for the second time that day, Alphonse believed that if he had his original body, he would be grinning ear to ear.

Soon, Roy and Alphonse fell back into silence, only this time, it was comfortable. The nurses hurried past and the doctors shuffled through their paper work, but there were hardly any noises.

The hospital was very quiet.

Until Edward started screaming.

* * *

 _Edward was standing alone, trees growing tall all around him for as far as he could see._

 _He smile; he loved the forest. It reminded him of home, where there weren't so many roads and building and cars; more fields and trees and flowers._

 _Suddenly the trees started moving. No, not moving; growing. Growing taller and larger until they were so tall they blocked out the sun. Edward started to run- needed to get out of the forest, needed to see the sunlight- when a tree reached out a branch and wrapped itself around Edward's throat, throttling him backwards and upwards._

 _All around him he could hear the wind screaming, "You'll be a corpse you'll be a corpse you'll be a corpse!"_

 _Edward's hands clawed at the branch that was starving him of oxygen, his legs flailing out underneath him._

 _"_ _You'll be a corpse."_

As a tide of consciousness began to pull Edward back to the surface, memories flashed through his mind; throat strangled, feet suspended, hands clawing, Hadfield's smiling face, and finally, "You'll be a corpse!"

And then, as Edward's eyes flew open, he started screaming.

It was incoherent but for a few choice words; stop, no, please, help, let me go.

Edward's eyes were unadjusted to the light so he squeezed them shut, though he still kept screaming. He didn't know where he was, he didn't know if he was safe. All he could remember was that feeling around his neck and that smiling face and _that goddamned voice_ and there was nothing left to do but scream.

What felt like two hands grabbed him by the shoulders; it was the gentleness of the grip that made him stop screaming.

"Edward," the voice was familiar, and he knew it wasn't Hadfield's, "Edward, it's me, it's Mustang, open your eyes, you're okay."

Slowly, Edward's eyelids parted, his pupils adjusting to the bright hospital lights. The Colonel was standing over him, a look of concern painted across his face.

Embarrassed by his outburst, Edward scowled. He sat up slowly, adjusting the pillows behind him to lean against. Looking around the empty room, he was immediately concerned, "Where's Alphonse?"

"He went to find a doctor. We were instructed to notify the staff as soon you woke up."

Edward nodded, relieved that his younger brother was safe.

"Hadfield?" Edward asked, reaching a hand up to feel the raw skin around his neck.

"Dead," Roy confirmed, "a bullet to the throat."

"I can't remember anything after," Edward paused, he felt a tremor run through his hands and he tried to calm them. He tried again, "After the um, vine…" he trailed off, hoping Mustang would understand what he trying to ask.

Roy nodded matter-of-factly, "I'll fill you in, you fill me in?"

Edward nodded in reply.

The Colonel sat in the chair beside Edward's bed, crossing his legs and clasping his hands together, "We got a very frantic call from your brother a few minutes after three o'clock. He explained the situation as best he could; Hadfield was chasing you, heading towards Oakview Park. Hawkeye, Falman, Havoc, and I immediately set out towards the forest. Alphonse got there at the same time we did."

Roy once again fixated his gaze on the blood crusted onto his boots, "Despite Hawkeye's protests, we split up, needing to cover more ground. I found Hadfield with his hand on the tree and you… hanging," Roy nearly lost his composure, remembering the way Edward had just hung there lifelessly, "Without looking, I shot Hadfield, then the vines. You were incoherent, floating in and out of consciousness, so we rushed you to the hospital."

Roy finished recounting his side of the story and looked up, meeting his eyes with Edward's.

Edwards started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Roy demanded, thinking simultaneously, _why do the Elrics laugh at the strangest times?_

"'Despite Hawkeye's protests', you split up?" Edward let out another laugh before smiling, "You mean she was worried you'd forget you're useless in the rain?"

"I have other skills!"

Edward laughed again, "Whining doesn't count as a skill!"

Roy sighed exasperatedly, "Your turn."

Ed quieted.

He was about to begin his recount when he heard the familiar clunking of armour.

"Brother!" Al shouted as he ran into the hospital room, "How are you feeling?"

Edward smiled at his brother as Alphonse awkwardly tried to fit his large body past the Colonel, around the bed, and to the side of his older brother, "I'm okay," Ed answered.

Alphonse looked down at his brother. Edward's neck was visibly bruised, a ring of purple wrapped underneath his chin. He was smiling though, that was something. Quietly, Al said, "You know brother, you really scared me."

It became immensely quiet in the room. The Colonel shifted uncomfortably in his chair, feeling as though he were intruding on a personal family matter.

Ed looked down, the smile leaving his face, "I know Al, I'm sorry."

Al looked down at his hands, "I just kept worrying if I had made the right call, if I should have stuck with you to help fight off Hadfield, I was so worried and I-"

"Al," Edward said earnestly, cutting off his younger brother, "Al look at me."

Alphonse looked up.

"I'm alive," Ed tried smiling, "and you're alive. I know it was a close call, but it wasn't anyone's fault. I'm a little banged up, but we're both going to live to fight another day, right?"

"Right."

"Alphonse," Ed continued, "I'm not going to die before we get our bodies back."

Edward looked intently at his brother. He wasn't God, he wasn't psychic. For all he knew he could get hit by a car tomorrow and die. _I'm not going to die before we get our bodies back_.

As a human, Edward knew he had no right to be making promises like that.

As a big brother he had no other choice.

"I believe you," came Alphonse's quiet reply.

* * *

Soon after the brief conversation between the brothers, a doctor had come into the room, running assessments on Edward, checking his vitals to determine when he would be permitted to leave.

At one point, the doctor and Alphonse stepped outside into the hallway to discuss how Edward was to be looked after over the next few hours; what to look out for, what kinds of activities to avoid, and so on.

It was during this time that Ed quickly summarized the incidents prior. The initial walk to Headquarters, when he first noticed they were being followed, when Edward told Alphonse to split off, the chase to the forest, and finally, the incident in the forest.

Roy jotted down the last couple notes from Edward's story, trying to cross every 'T' and dot every 'I' for his report.

"And there's one more thing, Colonel," Edward added, albeit hesitantly, after his recount, "the whole time- while he was chasing me, and fighting me, and," Ed hesitated, then continued, "hanging me. The whole time he just kept repeating the words… ' _you'll be a corpse_ '."

Roy faltered, nearly dropping his pencil as he looked up wide-eyed at Edward. He had tried to imagine what Edward had gone through during the hours that he had lain unconscious, how traumatizing the whole experience must have been for his subordinate; this new information chilled Roy to the core as he imagined that phrase repeated over and over.

Edward was looking at him with golden eyes. How could such warm eyes have been through something so traumatic?

Roy stood, tucking his papers under his arm. He placed a hand on Ed's shoulder and said, "I'm glad you're okay Edward, next time I promise, we'll get there sooner."

The Colonel started to leave. He was nearly out the door when Ed called out, "Hey Colonel Bastard!"

Roy turned, more bemused than shocked.

Ed was smiling cheekily from his hospital bed, the smile on his face more prominent than the bruising around his neck, "We'll always live to fight another day, right?"

Roy smiled, "Right."

As a human, he had no right to be making promises like that.

As a friend he had no other choice.

 _END_

* * *

 **I hope you guys liked it!  
** **Please please please leave a review letting me know what you think, it really means the world to me!**

 **-Timshel Bliss**


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